


A nation's soul

by GwenChan



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Daemons, Ficlet Collection, Flash Fic, Multi, Multi shipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 02:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6686314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GwenChan/pseuds/GwenChan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of flash fics about nations and their daemons. Featuring groups, romantic and not-romantic couples.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ibeakan and Adara ~

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [L'anima di una nazione](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/193342) by Gwen Chan. 



> As in HDM daemons stand for the person's soul, here they stand for the nation's national identity. I'm well aware that usually males have female daemons and vice versa. However since some male personifications have a male animal as their national symbol, there may be cases of same sex daemons (like Spain and his bull daemon).  
> Nations' daemons never set completely, although they have a preferred form. 90% of cases they half-set as the national animal of the country, but they may also changes in something more comfortable or that in my opinion would suit best the character. For example, Germany's national animal is the golden eagle, but I would rather choose for him a German shepherd. Let's say that nations are obliged to keep their daemon representing the national animal during official occasions.  
> Tell me any mistakes I may have made.  
> Next chapter: Germany and Italy

**Ibeakan and Adara ~**

 

Every time that Romano sees Antonio’s daemon he cannot avoid thinking about how damn bulky he is. Ibeakan, a bull with a black, lucid coat, hardly passes through the doors and it’s a good thing that nations have a range similar to witches, if not superior.Ibeakan moos, his head swinging above the couch pillow, while Spain struggles with the remote control of the TV to set the football match on HD mode.

“Give me that, you idiot!”

Romano grabs the remote control from his hands when for the tenth time the TV screen goes totally black. Adara, his daemon, a grey Italian wolf, gets on Antonio’s knees with an agile jump to prevent him from causing further damages to the TV. She’s careful not to touch any naked skin. She still isn’t ready for that.

At maximum, she prefers to jump on Ibeakan’s strong back, as it always happens when Lovino gets angry and blames the inevitable misfortune because his favourite football team has lost.

Antonio, of course, doesn’t miss the occasion to say his usual stupid jokes, repeating that he’s the Boss, he’ll cheer him up and other similar – for Lovino – follies. He throws a pillow at the Spaniard, centring his nose with extreme precision, then he rolls off the couch and goes away, chewing insults, with hands in pockets and the body stretched forward.

Still, Adara remains behind, curled up between Ibeakan’s legs, and these are the moments when Lovino wishes for his soul not to be so exposed. At least he could maintain the façade of permanent anger that he has so dear. Instead, he cannot avoid that Adara expresses in a low growl, almost the principle of howling, that it’s her way of laughing. A thing Antonio doesn’t miss.

And, like _always,_ from there to finish held by the Spanish _bastard_ ’s arms is only a small step.


	2. Maria and Helga ~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Germany's and Italy's daemons. Just a simple slice of life, with an ice cream after a tiring meeting.

Maria and Helga ~

 

Germany looks around. Helga, his daemon – a golden eagle – is perched on his right shoulder.

“I think it’s useless to continue,” she says and Ludwig can do nothing but to agree: everyone’s attention has completely disappeared.

With the meeting ended, his daemon is quick in changing into something less official but more comfortable, a German shepherd. She isn’t the only daemon that shapeshift. Zenaida, England’s lioness, first becomes a red fox that runs to hide between his human’s legs and then a female robin, now safe in the pocket of Arthur's jacket. All to escape from Corcoran, Francis’ rooster.

Ludwig moves his sight of half-meter, just to see Italy who immediately flails around for telling him “hello”. His daemon, Maria, is already rubbing nose with Helga’s. Maria is a female wolf, slightly smaller and darker than Lovino’s Adara, and people are always surprised to see her next to Feliciano. Ludwig, however, having known Italy for about fifty years, thick and thin, knows that there’s a never-dead pride behind the façade of happiness. The daemon is the proof. She growls with satisfaction when Feliciano bends to scratch her behind the ears.

“A new ice cream shop has opened!” the Italian tells, eyes shining. “We can go and try, please!”

His daemon wolf looks at Helga, pleading.

“Actually, it may be a good idea” the daemon-dog agrees. So ice cream is.

Half an hour later a cheerful Feliciano cavorts, with a chocolate cone melting between his fingers. He oozes that kind of contagious happiness that encourages even Helga to wags her tail, at least until the Italian doesn’t turn. In that case Ludwig’s daemon goes back to be an eagle – sometimes a bear – of which reading the emotions is harder; but Italy knows, because his daemon wolf, now licking her pawn, is always alert and refers. He knows and still says nothing. He just looks at Helga and smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will feature Canada and America. Plus an hockey match.


	3. Yura and Zyanya ~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canada's and America's daemon and a hockey match on tv. Or, the time America learnt not to mess with Canada about hockey.

Yura and Zyanya ~

 

If you have a beaver-daemon, people don’t always take you seriously.

Now, Canada loves having the splendid creature that is Yura – The Beautiful – at his side. He adores listening to her earnest advises, hearing the persistent beat of her tail on the ground. For Matthew is almost like the beat of his own heart.

There are moments, however, when Canada thinks that it would be absolutely great if his bosses ever decide to enlarge the list of national animals to include something more menacing. A polar bear would be perfect.

For now such bosses have played deaf.

Nothing forbids him to change his daemon form as he prefers on non-official occasions, like hockey matches.

Canada’s visceral passion for that sport is shown through a too much passionate cheering, with the nation jumping up and down on the sofa. Yura beats her tail on the floor as fast as she could, so hard the glass of coke posed nearly bounces. Canada is even more excited than America, who flaps arms next to him.

A player of the US team who fouls, in a clear and heavy way abruptly interrupts the happy atmosphere. Canada’s hands close in fists, while a series of swearwords escape from his lips.

One has to worry when Matthew starts swearing. If Matthew starts swearing in French, then one has to start quietly moving away, as fast as possible. But everybody knows that America can just not read the atmosphere. Thus he can’t conceal a certain satisfaction for his player’s action. Matthew doesn’t miss the light proud puffing of feathers that Zyanya does.

So he turns toward his brother, with extreme slowness and a worrying smile, while Yura is already shape-shifting in a polar bear, perfectly synchronized with his will. Her roar makes all the glasses in the house trembles and Canada sits, satisfied.

Seeing Zyanya going back to be a frightened bunny isn’t a show you see everyday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> America's daemon is a bald-eagle. She was a bunny when he was little.


	4. Anselma and Diethelm ~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Switzerland and Liechtenstein have a trip in the mountains. Too bad Switzerland is a little too worried to enjoy the experience.

**Anselma and Diethelm ~**

According to Switzerland the world’s full of dangers, as he tirelessly tells young Liechtenstein. If they were in another universe, maybe Vash would go around with a wooden leg and an electric blue magical eye, yelling “Constant vigilance” every three steps.

“Big brother, that wasn’t necessary,” Liechtenstein scolds him with kindness, pointing at the gun Vash carries on his back.

“She’s right,” Anselma, his goat-daemon, echoes before climbing with ease down the mountain trail. After all, what bad thing may even happen is such a peaceful place?

Anything.

There are vipers, wasps, and chamois ready to charge whoever mess with them; not to talk about sudden landslides and storms.

Ah, there’re also birds of prey. Vash raises eyes to the sky to follow a little point gliding in concentring circles, which has all the air of being an eagle. Switzerland can’t stop thinking that the bird has chosen Liechtenstein’s hare-daemon as lunch.

“Where’s Diethelm,” he asks breathlessness as soon as he notices his absence.

“He went to check beyond the hill,” the other nation answers with simplicity, with her sweet smile and her clever eyes.

“Then it would be better to reach him,” Switzerland suggests, faking a tranquillity he doesn’t have, while he rushes along the trail. If he could, he would glue Anselma to himself and Diethelm to Liechtenstein. Just to be safe.

“Come here!”

From afar Lily’s daemon voice arrives, enough to make Vash run down the slope, repeating that the trip to the mountain was a very bad idea, already imagining the worst scenarios.

A poisonous mushroom? The bite of a snake? The antidote works on daemon, right?

“Liecht, are you all right?” he asks as soon as he reaches his sister, grabbing her shoulders. She nods, surprised but calm.

“Diethelm found an edelweiss,” she answers, simply.

“Oh, it’s a wonderful thing.”

He isn’t talking about the flower, but the happy expression on Liechtenstein’s face. Seeing it is worth facing the mountain and its dangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Vietnam and Thailand


	5. Ngoc e Kanda~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vietnam and Thailand enjoy their time in the middle of a lake. Their daemons have fun swimming.

**Ngoc e Kanda~**

 

Vietnam is happy. She doesn’t smile – no matter how hard Thailand has tried to teach her how to make that facial expression, she’ll never learn – but she’s happy.

Her daemon’ enthusiastically splashing around is a better proof than any word and any smile.

She’s happy for the summer sun, for the light breeze ruffling her hair held in the usual and practical ponytail, for the lake fresh water into which she’s dangling her legs.

A qi-pao protects her head, while her loyal paddle has been posed inside the boat. Vietnam is good at paddling, even better than Thailand, now fishing next to her. His fishing rod is lazily immersed into water. His elbows are on his knees and there’s a plastic bucket ready to welcome the fish for dinner.

Vietnam is happy and, even if she doesn't smile, it’s not hard to notice for a watchful eye. Near the shore her daemon is playing with water in a confusion of sprays like a silvery laugh. Ngoc is a proud and dangerous tiger, swimming to the boat to rub his head against his nation’s hand. After that he shapeshifts into a water-buffalo, placid and mighty, mooing happily for the new found coolness.

The daemon well represents the girl’s soul, how resilient and how dangerous she can be.

Only few people can see Vietnam’s daemon in a similar condition of calm, can hear him laughing and joking, when he usually puffs and moos like a walking warning: leave me alone.

Ngoc is playing with Thailand’s daemon, an Indian elephant like his national symbol – Thailand has an almost obsessive passion for those animals and he nearly always refuses that Kanda keeps another form, no matter how much the situation requires it.

Kanda dives her trunk under the lake surface, she sucks in water and she spray the other daemon that pretends to run away just to return to the attack a moment later.

Ngoc is happy, so Vietnam is too. You can’t lie with daemons. You can try to dissimulate how you’re feeling, but a daemon will always show your thoughts and your true nature.

Vietnam is happy.

“Hey, you’re smiling!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The slavic siblings


End file.
